Stoker mechanism



June 27, 1933 J. W. MYERS STOKER MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb.5, 1932 I N V EN TOR. Jfizz Vflyers June 27, 1933; J. w. MYERS STOKERMECHANISM Filed Feb. 5, 1932 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR.

Wow ATTORNEY.

Patented June 27, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT orrics JOHN Wl MYERS, FRQANOKE, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOE TO THE STANDARD STOKER COM- IEANY,INCORIPORATEID; A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE STOKER MECHANISM Thisinvention relates to an improved form if of stoker constructionparticularly adapted for use in connection with a locomotive and itstender. v r

Stokers for conveying fuel from the tender to the locomotive commonlyemploy a plurality of conduits universally connected at their adjacentends, one of said conduits being formed of telescopic sections providingfor longitudinal movement between the locomotive and tender. Aplurality-of. screws are mounted in said conduits universally connectedat their adjacent ends at the universal joint between said conduits. Insuch constructions when longitudinal movement between the locomotive andtender occurred, the telescopic connectionin the conduits permitted themto be drawn apart or together I and since the sectional screw conveyor.was not adapted to be drawn apart or together, the universal connectionbetweenthe screw conveyors and the universal joint between the conduitswere not permitted to remain in alignment. It is therefore an object ofthe present invention to provide in stokers of this type an improvedconstruction and arrangement of parts whereby the universal connec-.

tion between the screw conveyors and the universal ointbetween thestoker conduits may be maintained in proper relation with each v otherat all times.

his a further object of the invention. to provide such an arrangementand combination of conduits and screw conveyors in a stoker for alocomotive and tender which will permit easy andconvenient separation ofthe conveyors and conduits when the locomotive and tender are uncoupledand drawn apart. Further objects and advantages of the invention willappear from the following description taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a longitudinal, central,vertical section through the rearward portion of a.

locomotive and the forward portion of a tender, with a stoker in similarsection applied thereto;

Figure 2 1s a sectional view ,on the line 22 of Figure 1; I

Figure 3 is a sectional'view on theline 33 ofFigure 1; t

Figure 4 is a view similar to that of Figure 1 showing a modified formof the invention;

Figure. 5 is a sectional view on the line 5-5 of Figure e; and

Figure 6 is a longitudinal, central, vertical sectional view showing aslightly modified form of the invention illustrated in Figure 4.

'In the drawings, the locomotive is rep- 27 resented generally by theletter A,.its tender by the letter B, the coupling member joining thelocomotive and tender by C and the stoker by D. The locomotive isprovided vided with the fuel bin 14 having a floor or deck 15 with alongitudinal centrally located aperture 16, and a plurality of slidablymounted plates 17 normally closing the aperture l6 and which may bemoved from covering position to regulate the delivery of fuel from thebin 14. v i v Referringparticularly to the preferred form of theinvention as illustrated in Figi ures 1, 2 and 3 there is movablymounted on the tender a rigid conduit section designated as a whole bythe numeral 18 and, which includes the open mouth troughor rearwardconduit portion 19, located below the fuel bin 14, the forwardly and.slightly upwardly inclined conduit or forward conduit portion 20 andthe interposed spherical menib'er'2l rigidly secured to each other attheir respective adjacent ends in any suitable manner, as for example,by means of bolts passing through flanges at the adjacent ends of thesections forming the conduit 18. The front wall 22' of the trough 19 isprovided with a discharge opening 23. Mounted in the trough or rearwardconduit portion 19 and extending forwardly through ther'opening 23 intothe spherical member 21 is a conveyor screw 21 for advancing fueltherethrough. The screw 24 is driven from its rearward end throughgearing 25 in the gear housing 26. A conveyor screw 27 isni'ounted inthe forward conduit portion 20 and extends into the spherical member 21wherelit 1 is connected with the forward end of the conveyor screw 24 bya universal joint 28.

The portion of the stoker mounted on the locomotive includes a conduitsection 29 extending upwardly and forwardly through the locomotive cabdeck 30 from a point therebelow to the lower portion of the firingopening 12. The conduit section 29 is rigidly mounted on the locomotiveby suitable means, as by the bracket 31 supporting it from the mud ring13. The cross sectional configuration of the conduit 29 progressivelychanges from adjacent its lower end where it is of substantiallycircular form to adjacent its upper end where it is of substantiallyrectangular form. The sidewalls of the conduit progressively divergefrom adjacent the lower end of the latter to the upper end thereof whilethe forward and rearward walls of the conduitare substantially parallelthroughout their entire lengths. The rear and side walls preferablyextend upwardly beyond the front or forward wall of the conduit andterminate in substantially the same horizontal plane. The lower end ofthe conduit. section is provided with a spherical split flange 32.

Slidably mounted on the forward end of the conduit 20 and received inthe spherical split flange 32 is a sleeve 33, the whole forur ing a balljoint 34 providing for universal and longitudinal movement between theconduits 29 and 18. To provide for vertical displace ment of thelocomotive with respect to the tender and to further provide forrelative movement between the loco-motive and tender in going aroundcurves, the conduit 18 is 'mounted to rotate or pivot about asubstantially vertical axis as well as to rock about a substantiallyhorizontal transversely extending axis. For this purpose a bracket 35 isrigidly secured to the trough 19 about midway between its forward andrearward ends. The lower portion of the bracket 35 comprises ahorizontally and transversely extending member 36 received in the anglemembers 37. The angle members 37 which extend forwardly and downwardlyfor attachment to an adjacent portion of the tender are supportedadjacent the bracket 35 by substantially channel shaped members 38. Theundersides of the end portions of the member 36 are preferably curved sothat the bracket and conduit may rock about a transverselyextendinghorizontal axis.

. Interposed between the horizontal portions 39 of the angle members 37and the channel members 38 is a transversely extending bar 40 whichunderlies and is adjacent to the member 36 of the bracket. The bar 40and member 36 are provided with registering apertures for receiving avertical pin 41 which, although it enables rotation or pivot ing of theconduit 18 about a vertical axis, prevents longitudinal movementthereof.

The outer ends of the member 36 are also curved so that when the bracket35 and conduit 18 rotate about the pivot pin 41 sulficient clearancewill be provided between them and the angle members 37.

Located at the upper end of the conduit section 29 and disposed in thefiring opening 12 is the distributor head 44 and extending forwardlytherefrom is the distributor plate 45. The forward wall of thedistributor head 44 is provided with a series of jet openings 46 throughwhich pressure fluid, as steam, is ejected for impelling fuel over thedistributor plate 45. Pressure fluid is admitted to the distributor head44 through any suitable number of supply pipes 47.

A conveyor screw 48 is mounted in the conduit section 29 and itsextended shaft 49 is journaled in the bearing 50. The bearing 50 islocated at the upper end of the conduit 29 and is secured from aewall ofthe conduit. The shaft 49 extends through the bearing 50 and carries anut 51 at its upper end thereby preventing the screw 48 from slippingdown in the conduit 29. At its lower end the conveyor screw 48 isuniversally connected with the forward end of the conveyor screw 27, asat 52, adjacent the ball joint 34.

As was previously explained the sleeve 33 slidably mounted on theforward end of the drawn apart or together to conform with 35 themovement of the conduit system and at the same time, maintaining theoints 28 and 52 in the conveyor screw system in coincidence with thespherical member 21 and ball joint 34 respectively.

To accomplish this result, the conveyor screw 27 is formed of telescopicsections 53 and 54. The screw section 53 has within its its hub or shaft55 an opening 56 which extends v the entire length of the shaft and hasa square configuration, as shown in Figure 3. The screw section 54 isprovided at its forward end with an extension 57 which is received inthe opening 56. In vertical cross section the extension 57 is square andjust sufficient i:

play is permitted between the extension 57 and the opening 56 to permitrelative longitudinal movement between the screw sections 53 and 54.

Above the upper end of the conduit 29 is i as an integral part of theconduit. Pivoted 5 doors 59 are provided for closing the rear of thecasing 58 and constitutefin effect, a continuation of the rear wall ofthe conduit 29.

In Figures 4 and 5 is illustrated a modified'form of the invention inwhich there is provided a trough or rearward conduit portion 60 rigidlymounted on the tender. At the forward end of the trough 60 is located aball casting 61, to which the forward conduit portion 62 is universallyjointed. In the forward conduit portion 62, is mounted a conveyor screw63 universally connected with the trough conveyor screw 64, theuniversal connection between the screws 63 and 6% being in coincidencewith the universal joint between the conduit 62 and the trough 60. Theconduit 62 is slidably and universally connected at its forward end withthe riser conduit 65 in the same manner as in the preferred form of theinvention providing for longitudinal movement between the locomotive andtender. In the riser conduit 65 is mounted a conveyor screw 66, thelower end of which is provided with a universal joint. The universaljoint is also connected to a square shaft 67, which forms a slip ointwhen received in the recess 68 in the shaft of the screw 63, therebyproviding for relative longitudinal movement in the conveyor screwsystem.

The extended shaft 69 of the conveyor screw 66 is j ournalled in thebearing 70. The bearing 70 is located at the upper end of the conduit 65and is supported by the ribs or fins 71 projecting from the bottom wallof the conduit 65. The shaft 69 as in the preferred form of theinvention carries a nut 72 to prevent downward movement of the screw inthe riser conduit. It is well known that in conveying fuel through atubular conduit by means of a screw,n1ore of it is conveyed along oneside of the conduit than the other due to the tendency of the fuel torotate or turn with the screw. The ribs or fins? 1 intercept a portionof the fuel which tends to rotate with the screw permitting the fuel toemerge from the conduit in a uniform stream. The forward end of theconveyor screw 66 is tapered, further minimizing the tendency of thefuel to turn with the screw and thereby aiding in'producing a uniformdelivery of fuel from the forward end of the conduit 65.

The conduit 65 progressively changes in cross sectional configurationfrom a substantially circular form adjacent its lower end to a parabolicform adjacent its upper end. A rib 73 depends from the vertex of theparabolic end of the conduit 65, aiding in directing the fuel deliveredfrom the conduit 65 uniformly to the fuel distributing means.

In Figure 6 is shown a slightly modified form of the invention in whichthe rib 7 3 is eliminated and the upper end of the riser conduit issomewhat flattened as at 74. This permits the firedoor to be appliedcloser to the boiler backhead as the casing? 5 can be made narrower.

I claim: I r

1. In a locomotive, provided with aback head having a'firing' openingtherein, and

a tender, a fuel conduit'system including'a riser conduit fixed rigidlyto said backhead and communicating with said firing opening, and atransfer conduit comprising a rearward conduit portion mountedon thetender to swing about vertical and trans verse axes and an upwardlyinclined for-f portion, said conveyor screws being flexibly connected attheir adjacent ends at the junction of said conduits, said fuelconveying system being fixed with the conduit system at its oppositeends, respectively, whereby the flexible connections in said conveyingsystem are maintained in coincidence with the junctions in said conduitsystem, and the conveyor screw in said upwardly inclined forward conduitportion being formed by a plurality of telescopic sections.

2. In a stoker and a firebox having a firing opening, the combination ofa fuel feeding conduit communicating with said opening, a conveyor screwin said conduit having a forwardly extended shaft, a bearing in saidconduit receiving said forwardly extended shaft, and a plurality oflongitudinally ex tending ribs projecting upwardly from the bottom wallof the conduit arranged to form a support for said bearin 3. In a stokerand a firebox having a firing opening, the combination of a fuel feedingconduit communicating with said firing opening, a screw conveyor in saidconduit, a plurality of upstanding longiti'idinally extending ribs insaid conduit at the discharge end thereof, said ribs converging towardstheir upper ends to form a bearing for said conveyor screw.

4. In a stoker and a firebox having a firing opening, the combination ofa fuel feeding conduit communicating with said firing opening, a screwconveyor in said conduit, a plurality of upstanding longitudinallyextending ribs in said conduit adjacent the discharge end thereof, abearingfor said conveyor screw arranged to be supported by said ribs anda depending longitudinally extending rib in said conduit adjacent thedischarge end thereof.

5. In a stoker and a firebox having a firiso adjacent the discharge endof said conduit receiving said extended shaft and a plural ity oflongitudinal upstanding ribs in said conduit adjacent the discharge endthereof arranged to form a support for said bearlng.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

JOHN lV. MYERS.

